Donaire Feels His Speed Will Be Key Against Vetyeka

by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Four division world champion and 2012 “Fighter of the Year” Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire believes his hand-speed will be the key to winning his fifth world title when he battles WBA featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka of South Africa in Macau on May 31.

Donaire who is elated that his father Nonito “Dodong” Donaire Sr will be in Manila by April 12 to handle his training at the Elorde Gym on Sucat, Paranaque told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard “the plan is to revive my speed and reflexes” for the Vetyeka fight.

He said working with his dad would mean accentuating his “speed power and good lateral movement.”

Donaire conceded that he got so used to fighting like a Mexican because of his power that he “must go back to old style - speed power and intelligence.”

He agreed with his father/trainer who had watched Vetyeka’s title winning effort against longtime world champion Chris John and another Indonesian Daud Yordan that Vetyeka “is not a one punch artist” unlike Vic Darchinyan who is “a harder hitter” but added “I am not afraid to get hit because I can take a punch. I am not afraid of that but Darchinyan was very awkward.”

Donaire was behind on the scorecards of all three judges when he nailed Darchinyan with a classic left hook for which he is noted and took him out moments later when the fight was stopped.

Both Nonito and his dad told us he was down with the flu for almost week before the fight and felt sluggish in the ring before he decided he had to go after Darchinyan in the  ninth round and it worked.

He said Vetyeka is a world champion and “this should be an interesting fight especially since the  sportswriters have me as an underdog” adding “ I like that but I’ve seen that I am much faster and that’s the key to winning.”

Donaire believes if he regains his speed in training “ I won’t have a problem.”
At the same time he conceded that he was so excited about the birth of his first son who is named Jarel that he didn’t train hard for the fight against WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux on April 13, 2013 which he described  as “a crossroads situation where I was thinking of my family and my career.” But now, Donaire made it clear “I know where I am and where I’m going. I am going to the top because I owe it to my fans.”